


Quiet Fracture

by LaFernweh



Series: Coming Together Again [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Bucky is unaware, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Natasha helps, Other, Panic Attacks, So much cries, breakdown - Freeform, slight Steve/Bucky, steve cries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-16
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-25 13:55:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2624234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaFernweh/pseuds/LaFernweh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve knows that Bucky is asleep only a few rooms over. But he's also aware that he's not really there. Not all of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet Fracture

Steve's not sure when it happens but it does.

 

Natasha's the one who catches him as he falls to pieces in the hallway. He's not sure when she gets there or how she finds him but he finally snaps out of himself when he feels a tug on his arm.

 

With a hand placed firmly on Steve's broad shoulder she pushes him back against the wall all too aware of the rapid rise and fall of the mans chest. He looks forward and says nothing, unable to form words through the deep ragged breaths his shaken body is forcing him to take.

 

This is worse than any asthma attack he'd ever experienced in his pre-serum days because _Buckys not there._

 

_His_ Bucky.

 

His Bucky isn't there to sit him down and put his calloused hand between Steve's bony shoulder blades to feel for that rattle in his friend's chest. Buckys not there to tell him that hes fine and _"You need to calm down Stevie. Its okay. You're just wound up is all. Just breathe for me."_ Because Bucky could tell between the deep wheezing coughs that used to tear through his malnourished frame and the awful, uncontrollable gasps of breath that took over when everything was just too much and he was nothing but overwhelmed, much like he is now.

 

Steve knows Buckys sleeping a few rooms over. But hes also very aware that he isn't really there either. Buckys there.. but Buckys lost. Very, very lost. And Steve doesn't know how to find him.

 

Once again hes pulled back into reality by Natashas gentle direction. Slowly, with his back against the wall, Steve lets her guide him to the floor. He doesn't know how long they sit there like that, with his legs up in front of him and Nat hugging his side while whispering gentle reminders and calming words, but it must me a while. His breathing doesn't slow no matter how hard he tries.

 

The only sound that can be heard in the hall is Natashas quiet murmuring and Steve's panicked breathing when suddenly there's a hitch in his breath that slowly turns into a sob.

 

Natasha squeezes him tighter as his head falls forward.

 

He didn't know what to do. What could he do?

 

"Talk to me, Steve." She whispers

 

Steve shakes his head and looks away taking another deep breath gasping breath. Natasha places a gentle hand on the mans face and pulls him back. She keeps her palm on his cheek, wiping a stray tear away with her thumb.

 

"Please, Steve.."

 

The worried tone in her voice gnaws at his resolve and he breaks. His shoulders shake with the intensity of it all and his breaths come out broken and wet.

 

"Bucky" He sobs as if he has to tear it out of himself "...Buck."

 

Because once again he couldn't save his friend. Once again he didn't know how to help the man who saw him for who he was before and after the serum. The one who stood by Steve's side through thick and thin, the man who took double shifts at the docks when Steve's paper thin lungs became weary and full of death and slept right next to him in a tent in the middle of Europe during the winter months and still after that.

 

Natasha shushes him in an attempt to help soothe the ridged cries coming from deep within him. She does her best to be as close as possible, hugging his side and squeezing. Her cheek is pressed against his quaking shoulder.

 

He was Captain America. The man who looked past the odds and made miracles happen with hard work and sheer will power, a national symbol that brought a feeling of hope and safety to his country. He had successfully led troops through the war to end all wars and saved more lives than he could ever hope to count. He had helped save the world over a dozen times but in the end he couldn't save his friend.

  
For the second time in his short but awfully long life he felt like Bucky was just out of reach.

**Author's Note:**

> ITS BEEN FOREVER. I STARTED ART SCHOOL IN LATE AUGUST AND ITS BEEN HEAVY(hella cool tho btw).. Sorry for the waitttt!
> 
> Steve's needed a moment for a while. Moment had.


End file.
